The drive from Charleston, SC to North Myrtle Beach, SC covers 111.2 miles and takes about 2h 37m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 17, Ocean Highway, Highway 17 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 56.5 miles on US 17.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.39 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
55.6 miles from Charleston, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 16m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 37m. Total distance: 111.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 37m highway drive covering 111.2 miles, with most of the trip on US 17 and Ocean Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 56.5 miles on US 17.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 56.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 17 and Ocean Highway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near S-10-107 / Meeting Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 111.2 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (S-10-107 / Meeting Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (Calhoun Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|S-10-107 / Meeting Street
Turn right onto S-10-107 / Meeting Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|Calhoun Street
Turn right onto Calhoun Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.4 mi into trip|~5m in|US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Merge onto US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
60.6 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|US 17 / North Fraser Street
Keep slight right at fork onto US 17 / North Fraser Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
7
83.3 mi into trip|~1h 55m in|US 17
Take the exit onto US 17 toward US 17 North: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward US 17 North: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Charleston, SC to North Myrtle Beach, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Myrtle Beach along the way.
Myrtle Beach
83.3 mi in|~1h 55m|via US 17
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 17
56.5 mi
1h 11m
Ocean Highway
17.4 mi
25m
Highway 17
15.2 mi
20m
Johnnie Dodds Boulevard
6.6 mi
11m
North Kings Highway
3.7 mi
6m
US Highway 17 South
3.2 mi
6m
Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
2.3 mi
3m
Church Street
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 56.5 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charleston, SC and North Myrtle Beach, SC.
1
Start on Broad Street
40 ft·5 sec·Broad Street
2
Turn right onto S-10-107
0.7 mi·1 min·Meeting Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn right onto Calhoun Street
0.3 mi·40 sec·Calhoun Street
4
Turn left onto East Bay Street
0.8 mi·1 min·East Bay Street
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward US 17 North
6
Merge onto US 17
2.3 mi·3 min·Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on US 17
6.6 mi·11 min·Johnnie Dodds Boulevard
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on US 17
49 mi·1 hr 3 min·US 17
Use the left lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 17
445 ft·5 sec·North Fraser Street
10
Merge onto US 17
1.3 mi·2 min·Church Street
11
Continue on US 17
0.3 mi·25 sec·L. H. Siau Bridge
12
Continue on US 17
17 mi·25 min·Ocean Highway
13
Continue on US 17
3.6 mi·4 min·Highway 17
14
Take the exit onto US 17
7.1 mi·8 min·US 17
Toward US 17 North: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle BeachUse the straight lane.
15
Continue on US 17
1.2 mi·1 min·US Highway 17 Bypass South
16
Continue on US Highway 17 Bypass South
12 mi·16 min·US Highway 17 Bypass South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on US 17
3.7 mi·6 min·North Kings Highway
18
Continue on US 17
3.2 mi·6 min·US Highway 17 South
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn right onto 14th Avenue South
0.2 mi·33 sec·14th Avenue South
20
Turn left onto S-26-360
0.9 mi·2 min·Hillside Drive South
21
Turn right onto S-26-358
304 ft·8 sec·6th Avenue South
22
Arrive at destination
S-26-358
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 55.6 miles from Charleston, SC, or about 1h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 24 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.6 miles or 1h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Myrtle Beach, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Charleston, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Charleston, SC
This is one driving day of about 111.2 miles and 2h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Charleston, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 17 for about 56.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 55.6 mi from Charleston, SC
· 1h 16m into the drive
The midpoint is around 55.6 miles from Charleston, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in North Myrtle Beach, SC
The final approach into North Myrtle Beach, SC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around North Myrtle Beach, SC.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Two forts stand at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Patriots inside a palmetto log fort, later named Fort Moultrie, defeated the Royal Navy in 1776. As Charleston blazed a path towards secession to...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.39 one way
$34.78 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg39 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$19.01
$38.03
premium
$4.70
$20.58
$41.16
diesel
$5.61
$24.55
$49.10
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
33.4
0
$11.68
$5.34
Efficient EV
27.8
0
$9.73
$4.45
EV Truck/SUV
44.5
0
$15.57
$7.12
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Charleston, SC
Morning
in Charleston on Saturday
Local time
6:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
North Myrtle Beach, SC
Morning
in North Myrtle Beach on Saturday
Local time
6:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Georgetown, SC
56 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 37m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Charleston, SC to North Myrtle Beach, SC covers 111.2 miles and takes about 2h 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17, Ocean Highway, Highway 17. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 55.6 miles from Charleston, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.39 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 111.2 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (S-10-107 / Meeting Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (Calhoun Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Charleston, SC to North Myrtle Beach, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Myrtle Beach along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
